Transport of machinery or heavy objects has typically presented challenges for people involved in diverse industries and hobbies. These heavy objects include woods lathes, table saws, band saws, drill presses, grand pianos, and pipe organs.
Many devices are available for moving heavy equipment to and from certain places, such as a factory floor, a workshop or a trade show. Some devices such as cranes are capable of transporting and lifting extremely heavy equipment but are generally expensive, complex and not capable of being used where space is limited. Alternatively, simple dollies that pivot about an axle are portable and easy to use. However, these dollies are not capable of moving heavy objects.
With certain machinery, such as a lathe, many helpers and more than one device is needed to lift and transport the lathe. For example, some lathe operators use an engine crane to load the lathe and cargo straps to pull the crane when the lathe is loaded. Others construct their own “transporters” or flat-topped lifts with wheels to move a lathe after using some combination of hand winches and I-beams to lift the lathe off the floor. It can take a day to load a lathe or other heavy object and a second day to unload it.
What is needed is an apparatus that is capable of lifting and transporting heavy objects in a simple and secure fashion.